Chương 128: The Calm Before The Gala

Vale lay slumped in a wide leather chair, one leg crossed loosely over the other, snoring softly. Even in sleep, he looked imposing. Ember rested at his feet, her massive body stretched across the floor, tall as Vale himself and far longer, nearly eight meters from snout to tail. Above the door, perched along the stone archway, Hurricane, August, and Illu slept in uneasy stillness, dark shapes barely moving as they breathed. Vale was still clad in his armor.

His long hair spilled down his shoulders and back, framing his face as his head tilted upward toward the ceiling. Slowly, his eyes began to move beneath their lids. Several seconds passed before his brows drew together and, at last, his eyes opened. He grunted, leaning forward and pressing the palm of his hand against his face. His fingers dragged down slowly as if grounding himself.

"How long was I asleep…?" he muttered, squinting. The thought vanished the moment he looked up. Callum stood before him. The blond knight wore only an expensive-looking pair of tailored pants, leaving his upper body completely bare. Vale's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he caught himself. He leaned back slightly, gaze lingering despite himself. Callum faced him openly, arms relaxed at his sides. Vale said nothing at first. He simply observed. The Shining Knight's body was… immaculate.

Not a trace of excess weight, every muscle defined but not bulky, honed in a way that suggested both discipline and speed. It was the kind of physique that looked impossibly agile while still radiating strength, exactly what one would expect from someone who carried the title Shining Knight. After an uncomfortably long moment, Vale nodded once, slow and deliberate.

"Yeah," he muttered.

"That's how it should look." Callum blinked in surprise. Then he burst out laughing. He grabbed his abdomen and doubled over, laughter spilling out of him in loud, unrestrained waves. Vale's expression barely changed, though he now pressed his lips together, clearly holding back a laugh of his own as he watched the knight struggle to breathe. Eventually, Callum straightened, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes.

"Heh… I got you clothes ready," he said, gesturing to a neatly folded pile beside the chair.

"Get changed. We don't want to miss Tharion's big moment." Vale followed the gesture, eyes dropping to the clothes, then lifted his gaze back to Callum. He looked him up and down once more, slower this time, brow furrowing slightly.

"What?" Callum asked, confused. Vale cleared his throat, his tone respectful but blunt.

"Why are you shirtless?" Callum glanced down at himself, genuinely considering the question. After a moment, he shrugged.

"Well… I had to keep an eye on you while you were unconscious." Vale narrowed his eyes. Silence stretched between them. Then Vale stood, said nothing further, and walked into the adjacent room. He closed the door behind him, leaving Ember and the ravens outside. Inside, he set the clothes down on a desk. As he did, he kept his metallic arm close to the surface. Liquid metal poured from it, flowing smoothly and silently, reshaping itself into a small arachnid-like robot.

Chrome unfolded its legs and lifted its lens, scanning the room with visible excitement. Vale smiled faintly as he began removing his armor.

"Hey, Chrome. Did anything happen while I was out?" The robot paused, its lens flickering as it looked around.

"No. Nothing," it replied. Then it stiffened suddenly.

"But you seriously managed to damage the Blade of God?! That's incredibly impressive, you know!" Vale glanced at Chrome, unimpressed. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Yeah. I guess it is," he said, stepping out of a gauntlet.

"Though it wasn't dependent on raw power or destructiveness, so it doesn't really mean much in the grand scheme of things." Chrome snapped back instantly.

"You really shouldn't make it sound so underwhelming!" Vale stepped back, exhaling slowly. His expression was strange, tired and distant.

"Okay, okay. I won't do it again. Can you check my physical condition?" Chrome hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"Yeah. Sure." The robot's lens focused intently on Vale, analyzing him in a way no ordinary camera ever could. Chrome compared what it saw to its closest internal match, Vale himself. After several moments, an image appeared on Chrome's interface. Vale studied it. The projection resembled him closely. His physique had improved, his muscles more defined, his posture stronger. The right arm was missing, just as his real one was, replaced by a prosthetic in reality and absence in the image.

Scars marred the body, countless and familiar. Still, overall, his body now matched the condition of elite professional athletes. Vale nodded, quietly satisfied. He turned back to the clothes. A black suit, sharply tailored, accompanied by an onyx watch, formal attire meant to present him as refined, composed. Appropriate for the gala. It was an important event, after all. As he dressed, Chrome spoke again, voice softer this time.

"Is it really okay if I come with you to the gala?" Vale slipped on his pants and glanced over, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course. It's the least I can do after all your help." Chrome went silent. After Vale finished buttoning his suit, the robot finally spoke again.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it." Vale fastened the onyx watch around his wrist, then extended his hand toward Chrome.

"It's really not a problem. And hey, if anything goes wrong, you can protect me, right?" Chrome's lens flared brightly.

"Yeah!" The robot dissolved instantly, flowing back into liquid metal and fusing seamlessly with Vale's prosthetic arm. Vale smiled. He opened the door and stepped out, ready to leave for the gala. When Vale reentered the room, Callum was already waiting. The Shining Knight now wore a pristine white suit, tailored perfectly to his frame. A golden tie rested neatly against his chest, matched by a gold watch encircling his wrist.

The brightness of his attire seemed almost deliberate, an open contrast to Vale's onyx-black suit. Ember yawned, lifting her massive head as she regarded the two men standing before one another. One was a radiant knight clad in white and gold, every inch of him polished and luminous. The other was a black-haired, unassuming youth whose presence was far heavier than his appearance suggested, dressed in black as deep as night. In a strange way, they reflected one another, light and shadow, brilliance and restraint.

For now, that symmetry didn't matter. Callum tilted his head slightly, a grin tugging at his lips.

"Ready to go?" Vale nodded.

"Of course. I'm ready to see my uncle." Callum let out a soft chuckle.

"That's one way to talk about Tharion. In that case, I'll be seeing him as my brother." Vale laughed quietly. They weren't true family, not by blood, but it was amusing to refer to them that way nonetheless. The two of them walked toward the exit. Ember followed behind, and then through it. The wyvern passed the doorway effortlessly, stone and wood splintering as the frame gave way beneath her sheer mass. The passage was left in ruins.

Vale glanced back, staring at the damage with an awkward expression before turning to Callum.

"Don't worry about it. Our people will fix it in no time." Callum's eyes widened slightly. Then he exhaled, visibly relieved.

"… That's good." They continued onward, Ember and the three ravens trailing after them. Before long, Ember moved up beside Vale, fixing him with a strangely intent stare. Vale looked back at her and raised his metallic arm, gently patting the wyvern's snout. The cool metal contrasted against her warm scales. Ember closed her eyes, letting out a deep, satisfied breath before resuming her heavy stride. As Vale and Callum approached the teleportation chamber, they saw three figures waiting for them.

Rikin stood at the center, dressed in a gray suit, perfectly balanced between Vale's black and Callum's white. To his side stood Yuki, arms crossed and irritation written plainly across her face. She wore a loose white dress with a long slit up the side, clearly designed for mobility rather than elegance. Beside them stood a short, striking woman with jet-black hair. She wore a majestic dress so dark it seemed to drink in the surrounding light. When Callum approached, she smiled.

Vale remained a short distance back as Callum stepped closer, his expression softening.

"You look beautiful." He kissed her gently. She smirked when she pulled back.

"Aren't I always?" Callum laughed.

"You really are." His hand brushed her cheek affectionately. Vale watched the interaction in silence, visibly unsure where to look. Ember, on the other hand, watched with keen interest. A moment later, the wyvern suddenly smirked and nudged Vale forward with her head. Callum didn't budge. Vale stumbled straight into him, immediately stepping back with his hands raised.

"S-sorry," he muttered, shooting an irritated glare at Ember. Callum chuckled.

"It's no issue. Really." Then he looked around at the group.

"Everyone ready to leave?" Vale took a breath, the tension leaving his shoulders, and nodded. They began walking toward the chamber together. Yuki glanced at Vale, her earlier annoyance replaced by a sharp grin.

"So, kid," she said, "ready to meet all the strong people?" Vale smiled, confidence clear in his eyes.

"Of course." He knew well enough what awaited them. Paragons. Legends. Individuals whose strength could reshape battlefields. The gala would be full of them. They reached the teleportation chamber shortly after. Ember had some difficulty fitting inside, the wyvern huffing and shifting as she squeezed her massive form into the space. The three ravens landed atop Vale's and Yuki's shoulders, cawing loudly as if mocking her struggle. Ember shot them an annoyed glare. Vale laughed under his breath.

Then a brilliant light ignited around them, swallowing the chamber whole. In an instant, they vanished, teleported toward the gala.